News

Protecting the rights of internally displaced Kosovo* women in Serbia

Feb 18, 2014

Serbia is host to some 300,000 people displaced through the conflicts in former Yugoslavia, most of whom are from Kosovo. Despite a range of efforts in the past decade, these internally displaced people remain one of the most vulnerable groups in Serbia. The situation of internally displaced women is even more complicated. Their participation in decision making at all levels is minimal; they lack awareness of their rights; they are economically dependent; they are often exposed to gender-based violence. UNDEF funds a project, implemented by Fractal, to support their rights in integration processes in Belgrade, Kragujevac and Kraljevo. The overall objective is to increase the capacity of IDP women, local civil society organizations, and local authorities to protect IDP women's rights and advance social and economic integration at the community level, develop advocacy tools to influence key stakeholders, and implement the agreed Local Action Plan in the three target areas of Belgrade, Kragujevac and Kraljevo.

*References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of Security Council resolution 1244 (1999)